Jeri,

Have you inspected the soffits? There are probably pipes and/or heater conduits, and the like, running through some of them.

There's a lot of style to the part of the house you show, and I think you can do a lot with it and make it really beautiful.

Questions: Is this a single level house? Is there a basement or crawlspace? Is the kitchen on the bottom level or is there living area underneath? Is there ventilation for the cooktop? Do you prefer wall ovens or would you be happier with a range?

Another question: Is the walk-in pantry useful? Or do you think it would be with new shelving? It looks like you could store an awful lot in there, but I may be wrong...

I don't have time to measure it out right now, but if you want to get rid of the peninsula, but keep a table area, you might be able to run shallow cabinets in the angled area of the nook and cheat a little of the peninsula space into your seating area. Then you'd conserve storage, though it would be arranged differently. That would give you a nice place for toaster and coffee pot also.

Regarding the angles, have you checked into cabinet makers near you? Sometimes 100% custom comes in costing less than national brand cabinets. If so, you might be able to get angled drawers to fit your angled walls...

Hi Jeri.
The first thing I'd do is get the cooktop off of the island.

With the pony wall and peninsula gone, this opens up the possibility of enlarging the island towards the nook, as well as relocating the ovens to a new cabinet next to the fridge.

I sketched it up and posted it to my .mac account.

Here is a link that might be useful: Jeri's kitchen

I had the same thoughts as rob about where to put the cooktop and extending the island, but I'm worried about putting a major work area in the entry from the garage.

Also, the fridge is really not well located (I'm assuming it's in that alcove next to the pantry). The island is a barrier. And it's way too big a hike to the sink, no matter what. If there were a way to vent it, I'd think of putting the cooktop or range there. If there's just attic above, it probably wouldn't be a problem. With a prep sink in the island, and the fridge in the angle between the nook and the kitchen.

Generally, I'd like to contain the cooking more towards the eating area, and the pantry/storage area more towards the laundry room. If you have an all freezer, that would be a good place for it. It might be worth robbing a bit from the pantry, where the angle is, to add to that work area.

I agree with Rob that the cooktop needs to be somewhere other than the island, but agree with Plllog that in the garage doorway isn't a better place either. I, too, am thinking about it going where the fridge area is, or maybe swapping with the sink? Not sure about that, though.

We don't know a lot about you or your kitchen needs/desires.

My first idea is that I'd create a closet-style pantry in the area where the oven is and take out the pantry to make better use of that other wall for the stove, and utilize the floor space better, too, with a larger island.

:-)

great minds think alike.

Just finished dinner and snuck back in to the office to sketch this:

Here is a link that might be useful: Jeri's kitchen - 2.0

It's getting better, but there's a lot of empty floor space created by all those doors. Maybe an irregular shape island. And it's a hike to the fridge from the range. If you move the fridge, then it's too far to the nook unless you change the pantry.

Jeri - Can we have more specifics about your pantry requirements? Also, could you use a built in hutch up by the nook?

And with that funky pantry replaced by two funky pantries...

Here is a link that might be useful: Jeri's kitchen - 3.0

Wow! You guys are the best! And my deal still stands. At the end of this, IÂm going to donate to a charity of your choosing what I would have spent on a KD. :-)

Here are some of the answers to your questions:

We have a single level 3,300 sq ft house on a concrete slab. We do have lots of attic space so we donÂt think relocating soffit "stuff" will be a problem. This house was a bank repossession and thoroughly trashed. It is in a nice area and IÂm sure it was once a fabulous house  but itÂs going to take some time to get back to that point.

IÂm leaning toward an induction cook top and I would like two ovens (wall or island  I donÂt care). IÂm also open to one oven and a second combo oven (microwave/convection).

Oh  I would also love to have 2 dishwashers if possible. LOL! I used to have no DW, but after having one  I want 2! :-)

Pantry. IÂve never had a walk in pantry and that seems so high end  which I like. But perhaps IÂm wrong about that. Or perhaps even if it is the case, the rest of the kitchen design will far outweigh a walk in.

DH and I have some ideas  let me know what you think.

We are thinking of moving the laundry wall (not load bearing) over into the Dining Room by 18 inches. That will make the Dining Room 12 x 13 Â is that large enough? We would then run shelves along the entire wall in the laundry for pantry and laundry stuff.

It's late so I'm not going to start again tonight, but regarding the dining room: If you want it to be useful, and keep value for the house, I wouldn't take any space out of it unless you absolutely need it. There's plenty of area in the kitchen/laundry/nook, so I think it's more a matter of designing and making it work.

BTW, that DR is just crying for one of those big circular tables that have the arc leaves...

How about something like this?

You have all given us lots to chew on. Thanks!

Plllog  I donÂt know what kind of table you are talking about  could you post a link?

For the breakfast nook  I was hoping to use a 60" square table  do you think there is enough room for one? DH wants a counter height table  does anyone have one of those? Do you like it?

Buehl  itÂs interesting that you used the area from the hallway for the pantry. There is a desk there now  made to fit the odd shape. DH has suggested we use that space for the kitchen as well. My hesitation is that this house feels so open and expansive, and I worry that if we change the entry into the kitchen, it might loose some of that feeling  but I could be wrong about that. BTW  what tool did you use to draw the layout?

This was my thought:

I had a memory of a similar kitchen (I like the quirky spaces). Here is a glimpse of it:

{{!gwi}}


{{!gwi}}

Your space is larger than this example, but the idea of the double peninsulas in this shape room seemed to work well. Another peninsula in the center might work (keep the original one you had in your 1st drawing, and the 2nd one would be a "island" pushed to the wall lined up with the sink?) This would give you enough room for 2 stools at counter height to transition the breakfast room and the kitchen.

I like rhone's plan too, but I am struggling with the fact that I want to bring the breakfast room in closer to the action (but maybe that is just me).

Re: square table. That room is a natural for a round table at a regular table height (built in seating or low bookcases around the bay window possibly).

Wow  more good ideas. How are you guys altering the layout???

I had another idea  let me know what you thinkÂ

You see the fireplace from the living room? That fireplace sticks out like a sore thumb IMO  what about making the kitchen bigger by using the space on either side of the fireplace? My thought is that this would allow us to have a larger island with seating. And on the living room side  the fireplace would appear recessed.

What do you think?

BTW  I like the shelves in the dining room. That room originally had a hutch in the back corner  making the octagon shape for the room  at least that is what the original blue prints show.

Does anybody like our idea of taking 18" from the dining room and having a wall of shelves in the laundry room? All those shelves and storage sound so nice. We would change the door leading from the kitchen into the LR to a pocket door, so the shelves would not be blocked.

I just saw this and was thinking along the lines of what rhome did --straighten and extend the inside wall. On the other side of that wall, you could put a door and have a broom or coat closet. Make use of the quirky space. That layout has some similarities to what I have and it is working quiet well.

I know walk-in pantries seem like an upscale thing and folks adore them. I did, but I've had a couple that didn't function that well. While I still adore the idea of them as a concept and would love a house that took the idea further and gave me a butler's pantry, I took out a corner step-in and put in a 24" with rollouts and a 12" pullout tower. I also put dog and cat food under the prep sink in the island. Everything has a place now and the guys can't just throw things in. This is working better for me, and I won't miss the step in (which also has wasted space) when they boys are gone and in homes of their own.

I have a counter height table in our breakfast room. Ours has a stored leaf in the center. I think it is 36x54 closed and 54x54 open. It's perfect for us. We can seat 4-6 closed and 6-8 when open. I think you have room for one that size -- but the room shape makes a round table appealing too.

Jeri, Here's a circular table with extensions. It's the first I found a good picture of--it's not the particular style I was referring to, just the shape. If you look really closely at the photo you can see the joins. The inner circle is at the edge of the table without the extensions. It's made bigger with the six arc extensions.

A 60" square will work in the nook if you don't have cabinetry in there, and don't extend the kitchen on that side. Re counter height tables: If you like sitting high they're nice. Some people use them as an extension of their standing workspace, which you shouldn't need. One reason to get a regular height table would be for rolling, but since you were actively resisting making tempting pies, that's probably not an issue. Some people find regular height much more relaxing, and older folks often don't like sitting high. But it's not something to get hung up on: It's easy to change out a table and chairs if you decide you don't like them. Much harder to change your appliance layout and counter heights. :-)

I like the idea of moving the kitchen back beside the fireplace, because of the whole kitchen being open to the bfast room...I think, though, that you'd end up with things so spread out and with less wall space for the kitchen (because now the fireplace back would take up some room), that you'd end up with the sink or stove on the island.

BTW, the way I alter your plan is to save the image, open it in Paint, and change away.

This is my first attempt at the bigger island, wall beside fireplace idea...Not what I'd consider to be a final plan, but maybe a jumping off place to see if this is close to what you had in mind. It has a lot of counter space where it's not that helpful, and is a bit crowded where you could use more for prep, baking, snacks, etc.:

Jeri, your house has some really interesting design "quirks"--be careful to preserve some to retain the charm that most likely drew you to this space. As you said, all the rooms are hexagon in shape--that is a very unusual (and high-end) quality that, in my opinion, should be played up as much as possible. There is plenty of room to find places to stash things (but take inventory of what needs stashing (books or entertaining gear--are you casual or more formal, etc.)).

Hexagon rooms, like round tables, are much more conducive to a conversational "flow". There is an ease and softness to the shape--go with it instead of fighting it.

The dining room, in my opinion, should have the corner hutch reinstated (either as it was intended, or as a triangular shaped "closet" trimmed and mirrored on the dining room side to echo the doorway it sits across, with access to shelves from the laundry room.

Re: space next to the fireplace--really hard to say without seeing the rest of that room.

I use Microsoft Powerpoint...I

1. Copy your image & paste it into PowerPoint

2. Crop out the "extra" stuff

3. Resize it to make it as big as possible and still fit on the "slide"

4. Create a box 24"x24" by either using the graph paper background (if the layout has it) or I use the DW to create it (the vast majority of DWs are 24"x24" in a layout)

   From there...I create copies of the 24"x24" box to make other boxes by resizing them. I go by %-ages:
   .....25% = 6"
   .....50% = 12"
   .....75% = 18"
   .....125% = 30"
   .....150% = 36"
   .....175% = 42"
   .....200% = 48"
   .....50% of the 6" measure is 3"
   .....Divide the 24" measurement by 24 & you get the size needed for 1"

5. Sometimes I'll make a duplicate copy of the expanded layout image and crop it for things like sinks, ovens, ranges, etc.

6. Change the shape of the box for other things, like circles, rounded rectangles, etc.

7. To blank out an area on the image, I create a box and try to match the fill color w/the background (usually white) and then set it for "no line"

8. Once I'm done, I save the slide as a "jpg" file (when you do a "Save As" you get choices for "File Type", choose the "jpg" type)

9. Then, I use Microsoft Picture Manager to edit the picture:
   .....Crop it, if necessary
   .....Resize it to as close to 400 pixels in each direction using the %-age resizing so there's no distortion. Usually, it's closer to 400x300 or 300x400.

10. Then upload it to PhotoBucket or other photo hosting site

11. Post it here! (using the code in the "HTML Code" box)

Does anyone like the idea of removing the walls between the kitchen and the family room to make a great room?

It's a possibility. It won't really be "great room" shaped, but with the opening you have more flow in the family area, which is especially useful if you intend to expand your family. Can you make a drawing of the whole entertaining area of your house?

I don't think pushing the fireplace wall gets you the right kind of space in the kitchen. I would leave that wall where it is and put built-ins on either side of the fireplace to level the side of the wall that needs it and keep the full run of counters and cabinets in the kitchen where you need them. You're already losing a lot of functional space in your cabinets with all the angles on the other side.

With the top of the floorplan cut off, I'm not sure what walls you'd propose taking out to make a great room. I'm also not sure that it would feel like a great room so much if the family room is set as much to the side of the kitchen and nook as it seems to me. Maybe I'm just not seeing what is there.

I agree with lascatx - moving the fireplace wall adds more floorspace, but less counter where you really need it.

Taking down the wall could alter the original architectural character of the home too much by opening it up more than was intended.

It doesnÂt sound like most of you like my idea of borrowing 18" (maybe less?) from the dining room to use as a pantry wall, but the more I think about this, the more I like it. Can we explore this a bit more? If I made the laundry room a laundry/pantry, I wouldnÂt need any pantry in the kitchen at all. That should help open the rest of the kitchen up to other needed functions. This would give me a wall that was almost 10 feet long, 18 inches deep, and 9 feet high of pantry space. ThatÂs a lot  isnÂt it? Maybe I donÂt need 18 inches deep  how deep are shelves in walk-in pantries? I would change the door from the kitchen to the laundry/pantry into a pocket door so the pantry wall would have easy access. Also, I could keep the wide entry to the kitchen, which I really like.

LetÂs look at Bhehls layout (similar to RhomeÂs 1st layout).

You are thinking of an island that is apx. 8 feet by 4 feet? That sounds great.

Removing the pantry in Bhehls layout to restore the original entry, I worry about the dbl oven placement as these will be the first thing one sees when heading toward the kitchen. IÂd have to go look to be sure  but these may be visible from the foyer too. What about moving the fridge to the Dish Hutch area and putting the dbl ovens over with the cooktop (like RhomeÂs layout)? So I could have the cooktop, ovens, MW, and plenty of counter and drawer space (am I right about that?) all together. This would be my cooking Zone. I suppose that necessitates a prep sink on the island which I think would be great.

Rubyfig  I just canÂt get what you are doing. It is *really* hard for me to visualize anything. Some people are very good at that, IÂm seriously lacking :-(

I can understand why you might want that opening as it is, but I wouldn't want to look at the fridge when entering, but a pretty dish hutch instead. Here is my plan with the opening to its original state. The challenge is the ovens, which can go back to their original spot, which seems workable, and even though they're a bit close to the doorway, at least the open oven door won't block the whole thing. It could also move to the right with a pantry type of cabinet in between it and the wall for a buffer for protection of doorway traffic. The other option is to put them undercounter, either where they are, or in the island...Or one in the island and one by the cooktop... Or...?

You mentioned a 4 x 8 island. My island is 3 1/2 ft and Buehl's is 3 ft. Mine is already pushing the limits, I think (especially when lengthened to 8 ft to extend in front of the cooktop), so 4 ft wide probably won't fit.

Tee hee  you didnÂt talk about the pantry/laundry idea. Are you from the school that says "if you canÂt say anything nice donÂt say anything at all?" :-)

I like the dish hutch in that location. :-)

What about swapping the Ref and DO? Would it not be a good idea to have all the cooking stuff in one zone?

My island is 3 1/2 ft and BuehlÂs is 3 ft

OK Â thanks. I just cant read these things very well. :-)

Jeri, do you have a utility sink in the laundry room? There isn't one pictured, and they're really useful. If you put in cabinetry around the sink, and over the sink and W/D you'll get a lot of storage, at least for laundry supplies, shoe polish, etc., and some bulk items.

You already know I don't like the idea of stealing room from the dining room. You might be able to steal a couple of feet from the kitchen if you wanted to add both a sink and some mudroom lockers to the laundry.

Rather than moving the wall for pantry storage in the laundry, however, I'd get a big "antique" armoire and finish it to match the dining room, and put it on the same wall on the DR side. That would add a lot of pantry storage without permanently altering the room, which is currently just big enough.

"What about swapping the Ref and DO? Would it not be a good idea to have all the cooking stuff in one zone?"

No, you want the fridge close to your cooking and prep zone. You access it far more often while prepping and cooking a meal than you do the oven, I'm guessing, and you probably also want it near the breakfast area, if you'll eat there a lot. I think the oven in its current location is far enough for someone to bake while someone else cooks, but not too far if you want to move a dish from the stove to the oven to finish.

I didn't address the pantry in the laundry thing, because I'd want to see how things shuffled around in the kitchen first. Personally, I liked the pantry location in my first plan...Where the oven is now. (I honestly liked that whole plan best...and I'm not trying to be conceited about it. It would just function best for me. The 5 ft wide entrance would seem open enough to me for what I'd gain.) I can see value in what you're suggesting, too, but what will you do about the doorway from the kitchen to the dining room? Bumping into the dining room will change the shape of what goes on there.

Jeri,

Please take a few minutes to look at the spaces you have (as it is) and try to work out the things that you like about it, and the things that you don't (and the things that work for you and your family, and the things that don't). By doing this, it gives you a sort of mission statement for the remodel. The original architect probably had some good ideas (that most likely you were drawn to if you chose to buy this very unusual house).

What the heck am I talking about? Here is an example: I live in a tree house with great views through most windows and very little space as it was originally built as a weekend cabin. Over the years, it was added onto and changed. When we bought the place, the existing kitchen was small, dark, and poorly laid out. To access the outside terrace where we grill, we had to zig-zag through the kitchen, the living room, the office and the laundry room which was a pain and made most of the house a series of awkward hallways. During the remodel, we relocated a bathroom and opened up a wall so that the kitchen was a long narrow space and we added another window. This new space has direct access to the side terrace and is now very well suited for two cooks.

Your "statement" might (or might not!) go something like this:
We entertain a lot and would like the rooms to flow into one another. DH and I like to linger over morning coffee and I imagine sitting in the "nook" at the end of the kitchen putting together recipes and reading the morning paper. The view out the window where the sink is leaves something to be desired. The fireplace in the living room is very large and we can't figure out where to put the TV...

Clearly, you are both enthusiastic about this house and are eager to make it more of your own, but sometimes less is more and doing things like taking 18" from the dining room to add to the laundry might not be necessary.

By the way, I like rhome's latest plan too and it would be perfect if your home is a one cook who likes to work alone kind of place. What I like about your 1st plan with the peninsula between the nook and the kitchen was that the peninsula was a good link between the 2 rooms (and a natural for a set of stools) that would make it much easier for one cook to work while chatting to someone at the end shelling peas (or whatever) and it is a natural place to function as a little buffet or something (if, say, you were entertaining a few friends for tea in the nook area, or cocktails in the backyard).

Anyway, my point is that by pinpointing your houses strengths and weaknesses it would help us to come up with ideas to both highlight the things that make your place special, as well as find solutions to make it function better overall.

Rubyfig  you live in a tree house? Sounds very intriguing!

We didnÂt buy this house because of the Octagonal rooms and our instinct is to minimize these as much as possible. I like many of the angles (like the entry into the kitchen), but the octagons are a bit too much for us. I hope we have not done the house a disservice by not embracing this particular anomaly. I actually worry about that (I worry about everything :-)

I like open floor plans. I like a lot of light. I like my family being underfoot while I work. I want to entertain often and I want the kitchen to be the hub where everyone gathers so I want it to be as open and spacious as possible. My first idea was to push out the walls on either sides of the sink  inline with the garage. I think this would have given us a ton of space and options  including the shelves I desire in the laundry room. My husband had a buddy look at doing this and he said we were looking at paying 40-50 thousand dollars just for the bump-out because of the roof lines. I had no idea...

The peninsula just doesnÂt feel right. I guess because it goes against the open floor plan I prefer. We do plan to repurpose rooms to meet our families needs. For example. The formal dining room will become the family computer room, and the formal living room will be the girls den to house their various games and entertain their guests.

I truly appreciate everyone here and all the time you are spending on my behalf. IÂm trying really hard to be open minded and make the right choices. I hope you all are not getting annoyed with me.

Jeri, that helps a lot (I kept trying to work in the octagons). Would you mind posting a plan of the whole house?

Re: tree house. That is what I call it (it isn't actually, but it is built to the side of a mountain and has tree-top views).

HereÂs the whole house :-)

Thanks for posting the full plan. It has a lot of charm! Because you're rehabbing it, that might be hard to see. I frankly think you might do better if you live with the walls for awhile before you start moving them.

I'm not sure if it would work , but just looking at the orientation of the spaces, if you want a true great room, you might do better walling off the dining room from the living room where the roof line cuts the corners, and removing the laundry wall and pantry. You could then make the family room the living room, and the living room the formal dining room, or vice versa.

Personally, I don't think the house needs that many radical changes. The rooms are good sized and flow well.

If this were mine and I was dreaming of how to perfect it, I'd make the master closet into the laundry and make more of a mud room/family entrance out of the current laundry. :-) That's a long hike back and forth with the laundry to and from the bedrooms! (And I'm not a fan of walk-through laundry rooms...mine are too messy)

I do agree that unless things are really in bad shape, it'd be best to get used to the house and layout awhile til you see where you really want changes and really want to spend your money...And when you do, you'll be getting what you truly want and need, with less guessing involved.

I like plllog ad rhome's ideas about changing the use of the rooms and the laundry. You can then build in all kinds of storage without having to move walls.

That's a HUGE master bedroom. If you don't want to take the WIC and make part of it the laundry, you could lop off the "top" of the MBR and have a good sized laundry there, and still have a very large bedroom! You'd have to check to see how to get the plumbing there, since you're on a slab.

Anne

It has a lot of charm! Because youâÂÂre rehabbing it, that might be hard to see.

I seriously lack vision. And I know it. I love that it is a single story, and I love our plot, and I love the area we are in. And if I canâÂÂt make 3,300 sq ft work - there is something seriously wrong with me. We live in 1150 now. :-)

I can see I left a few things off the house drawing - there is a large brick fireplace on the diagonal on the outside corner of the family room. There is also a brick fireplace in the master bedroom on the outside wall.

We will be doing most everything ourselves, so it will not be a fast process as we both work full time and the kids have active weekend schedules. But it would be good to have a game plan.

We redid our current kitchen with the help of this forum a few years back. ItâÂÂs very small, nothing to brag about, but it has all the wonderful features we discuss here so often, and IâÂÂm loath to give them up for long. So, redoing the kitchen is my priority and one that DH understands. I spent 3 hours just cleaning the dbl oven in the new house last weekend and I still hate touching the thing! It really needs to be replaced, but how can I do that without a game plan? Next I started on the built-in fridge. I had to take a putty knife to scrape off the built up gunk. Fortunately, unlike the ovens, the fridge is cleaning up nicely. I might even enjoy using that. :-)

However, the laundry room is first because the previous renters turned the garage into bedrooms and the laundry room into a bath room (no permits, crappy work). DH is currently restoring the garage and laundry room and he is just itching to move that dining room wall. But I can probably get him to hold off for a while.

I canâÂÂt thank all of you enough for all your help. WeâÂÂll chew on things for a while and IâÂÂll let you know what we come up with. We probably wonâÂÂt actually move in until next month - there is too much that needs to be fixed first. On a brighter note - there is a pool that is in good shape and the kids are enjoying that already. :-)

That is going to be one fun project. There is a lot of charm, and I am glad you are going to chew on things for a while. I agree with what has been said about relocating the laundry room near the bedrooms. I am sure that living with things in place will give you a better idea of what has to go and what is not so bad :).

That is going to be one fun project.

DH is calling it an adventure. :-)

I can see the great room idea, but I canâÂÂt see where I would move the laundry room to. Can you show me?

Confession: IâÂÂm actually depressed that you guys donâÂÂt like the pantry in the laundry idea. It feels so right to us. But all of you who have *lots* of experience donâÂÂt like it, so it is probably wrong. This just reinforces that I (we) donâÂÂt have a clue . We can make this place really great. Or, we can make it really spastic and half a$$ and IâÂÂm afraid left to our own devices it will be the latter... :-(

DH is calling it an adventure. :-)

When we moved into our last house, we told everyone it had 'potential.' ;-)

I think making a laundry closet with bifold doors between the two bedroom doors would be the easiest. It would back to a wall with existing plumbing and electricity, making it relatively easy to add the hub drain and hot and cold water lines. Squaring up the entries to the two bedrooms also makes those spaces more efficient compared to the way the doors on a diagonal eat up space...

BTW - your plan didn't show the door to the master bedroom, so I guessed at it's location in my sketch. :-)

Thanks Rob - I can certainly see that now :-)

I'm coming in late but, I like that idea for the laundry! Really frees up space all around and makes the pantry/mudroom much easier to plan. I agree about not moving the dining room wall. The dining room is nicely sized as it is now and moving the wall I think would make the dining room look ackward. I know you don't plan on using it as a dining room now, but it might be used as such in the future.

Hey, but by moving the laundry out, you have one huge pantry (and the first rectangular room of your entire place in one bedroom ). :)

Uggg - you guys are killing me... A laundry room seems so high-end which is what we want, itâÂÂs what the area supports, and I think what future buyers will expect in this price and house-size range. The closet idea is a good idea, but IâÂÂm not sure it is right for this house. :-\

Also - we are in So Cal. I donâÂÂt think anyone here knows what a mud room is let alone has one. :-)

Okay, here's a quick and dirty version:

I moved the doorways in the pantry (former laundry) over so you could have shelves or shallow cabinets on the right. The green on the left is five feet of cabinet depth cooling. I think I combined integrated width with cd depth, but just to get an idea... You said something in appliances about wanting a second fridge. A freezer might also be useful. Then there's another five feet or so of either counter and cupboards or full height pantry. Or swap the coolers and put in lockers for coats and backpacks. Are there any windows in there?

The straight side of the island is eight feet. The curve gives a little less knee room, a little more elbow room, and makes it easier to get through the pinch points. The bulk of the island is toward the DR so makes a good buffet surface (but the whole thing got pushed off center a little in the picture). The gray is a 36" cooktop and the green is a 36" cd fridge (see--it sticks out a little!). I've left the ovens where they were, and added Rhome's (I think) placement for the 2nd DW.

I tried to get the 60" square table in, and there isn't actually room for it.

Putting the laundry where I've located it in Rhome's plan gives you access to the outside for the dryer vent, and access to the plumbing for, well, plumbing. I also put in a 24" sink on the right. There's still something like 14' of hanging space in the closet--probably more if you put in corner solutions. And the wall side can have mirrors, hooks for accessories, etc. Then I added a reach in closet on the existing wall in the bedroom. And stuck a door on just to have a door.

There's also a door to the entryway there. That's easy access for the kids so they don't have to come through your bedroom. You can also put pegs for sopping raincoats, etc., right inside of it.

Even though moving the laundry looks like a big deal, by taking out the existing pantry, and moving the laundry, you should be able to make a very workable space with a lot of your wish items and a lot less remodeling than might happen otherwise.

Again, just a quick and dirty, but I see a lot of potential here...

I agree that I don't think the closet laundry is appropriate for the size and level of this house, and when room is not an issue. (That's one reason I don't like the one that it has...it's not an actual room.) I can't imagine dealing with just a closet one with a family...and with a pool? Where does all the wet stuff go? :-) A mud room can also be called a back entrance or family entrance...But the purpose of having a place to store things as you all go in and out is a good one. You can start a trend. I think it's OK to have useful things others may not, but not okay to not have things others expect...like a laundry room. JMO

LOL!!! Jeri, it SNOWS in Wrightwood! And Julian! But while it is traditional to have the laundry room outside of the kitchen, it isn't necessary. A lot of finer houses have the laundry in the bedroom area nowadays. I think the "high end" thing is whether the servants are doing the laundry and cooking on the service side of the house, or if the family do their own chores. But it's one of those things like women's clothes button backwards because it's easier for the maid to do them up that way--not necessary for the way we really live. And fancy Beverly Hills houses (hills, not flats) also sometimes have the laundry near the bedrooms. Even if there are servants, the family may not want them lugging their dirty garments back and forth through the reception areas.

Now, if it's just a matter of not wanting to give up half of your massive walk-in closet, which might be the secret reason you love this house, location, level, etc., be da**ed, well that's a great reason not to do this.

Next question: Is the garage finished? That is, drywall & paint, flooring, etc. Is there room for pantry storage, spare coolers, etc., in there?

Wow  I really expected all of you to wash your hands of me. :-)

I do not need a large walk-in closet and in fact, our first thought was to turn that into a library  which all of us really want. Then a good friend came over and said "you have to think about resale  people looking for this size house in this price range want a large master suite  which includes a walk in closet. So, we thought we would turn the Foyer into the library  I posted about this over in the Home Decorating Forum: Library in the Foyer? and the idea received lots of positive feedback. I still need to post the space to see if it will actually work...

I donÂt need such a large Master Bath either  so much wasted space! I just canÂt visualize how it all could be changed to incorporate a decent laundry room. There is a large fireplace on the outside wall of the master bedroom  just about middle of the room. I donÂt mind if we remove that either (though I have to have a fireplace in my FR). Perhaps we can make "his & her" smaller closets? They donÂt have to be connected. I see this a lot in the higher end homes in our area - "hers" is always a bit larger. :-)

LetÂs see  other answers. There is a window in the current laundry room  on the kitchen side. I donÂt mind removing it if this ends up being the pantry. The garage is stripped at the moment (removed illegal bedrooms) and could house "stuff". IÂm not sure DH would give up much of "his" space though. :-)

And I donÂt mind the mud room / laundry room idea either  it would be nice to have a place for coats, umbrellas, etc. YouÂve probably noticed that there is no coat closet. The original plans had one on the wall in the foyer when you enter the house  just to the right  2 feet of the current master walk-in closet  running the length of the wall. BTW  that master closet is yet another bedroom right now  just a small box without windows. We think several families had been living in this house.

It seems to me the original plans had it all  coat closet, laundry room, walk-in pantry, LR, DR, FR, good size kitchen, breakfast nook, and master suite. It feels wrong to remove those things. Changing the locations and/or repurposing IÂm fine with though. :-)

I tried to get the 60" square table in, and there isn't actually room for it.

bummer... IÂll start looking at round tables...

I think in addition to KD fees, I should include therapy fees. :-)

Ok, let me see if I have everything:

Needs:
separate laundry room
place for kids to store games/entertain friends
library
family computer room
entertaining a priority
larger kitchen with walk-in pantry
resale a priority for high-end neighborhood

Not much need for:
formal spaces

Maybe:
Your current Living room turned into a dining room (for entertaining) and library (lots of walls in that room that would look stunning lined with built-in bookcases). One large table down the middle is perfect for that and it would be lovely to have a pair of chairs to sit and read by the fire (in those rare chilly So cal nights). Games go on the shelves in this room (put doors on the lower half).

Add a closet to the entry.

Make the existing DR a breakfast room (could also serve as a buffet for a large party) or maybe find a way to incorporate that better into the kitchen.

Make the nook a little spot for the family computer(s)/bill paying, recipe sorting, etc.

That is all I can think of right now.